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More on Google's Panda 4.0 Algorithm Update

At last, some news filtering through about Google's latest algorithm update. Some good news for those who are genuinly and consistantly updating their websites with relevant content.

How to Avoid the Wrath of Panda

Looking to avoid significant dings in your rankings? Here are the key points that Panda targets; make sure you are not guilty of any of the following, and you can steer clear of any penalties.

Never copy, steal, or scrape content from another site and claim it as your own.

Resist the urge to predominantly keyword-stuff your site's content. Keyword stuffing is no longer a boon for a site's rankings, thanks to Panda's prowl, so cease and desist this archaic and damaging practice.

Ensure all your content is readable to humans, not search engine bots.

Create the highest quality, original content possible.

Every time you publish a new piece of content, ask yourself the following: "Would I publish this in a major news outlet and feel proud to put my name as the author?" If your answer is ever a no, don't publish it to your site.

Publish content on a regular basis; sites with nothing but outdated and irrelevant posts are potential penalty targets.

Make sure all backlinks are high-quality; never accept links from questionable sources. If you have offending sites as link partners, your site is also implicated.

Double check that your site is technically sound, built with SEO in mind. Sites with security risks and obvious viruses are also affected.

The (Very Very) Good News

Panda doesn't just bring woe and stress; Google's quality control bot has bestowed plenty of good news across the web as well. Many sites have reported significant boosts in search rankings, thanks to a steadfast commitment to quality content. Whenever folks experience drops in rankings, others see their sites rise and thrive. If you've adopted a long term strategy to increase your rankings through the creation of fabulous, wow-worthy content, a major release like Panda 4.0 can mean your efforts are paying off in a big way.